1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a blow molded dimensionally flexible one-piece thermoplastic resinous hollow gangtype vent having plugs for a plurality of the filling wells of a multiplecell battery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gases result from charging of an electric storage battery or pressure change. Increasingly electric storage batteries are employed in enclosed areas like boats and motor home trailers, where vent of such battery gases to a point outside the enclosure in which the storage battery is mounted is needed. In addition, for compact design of automobile engines, often very little clearance between the hood and the top of the storage battery is allowed. In such confined areas, vent of battery fluids to a point removed from the hood is desirable to prevent contact of battery fluids with destructible parts. Further, in such enclosed or confined areas, the total height of the battery and its vent and, hence the thickness of the battery vent can be critical for purposes of allowing needed clearance.
There are several prior art vents for multiple-cell batteries. French Pat. No. 1,565,670 teaches an injection molded two-piece device comprising a cover plate and a channel featuring a series of ribbed plugs. The plugs are perforated to allow gas to escape but entrained electrolyte to return to the cell. Lucas, U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,538 (1962) teaches a multiple-vent plug assembly for batteries having covers with upwardly extending projections around the filling wells. This plug assembly is an elongated hollow body composed of two separate sections, a top and a bottom section, which are joined, and perforated plugs which are suspended from holes in the bottom section. Means are provided near the top of the vent for establishing communication between the vent plugs and the bottom section and to provide a seal against egress of electrolyte. Lucas, U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,244 (1965) teaches a multiple vent plug assembly for electrical storage battery filling wells comprising a body provided with a plurality of inwardly extending projections which form pairs of opposing recesses on the underside of the body and a plurality of hollow vent plugs having laterally projecting lugs extending into the recesses, with the plugs being suspended from the body by means of the lugs.
The one-piece gang-type vent of this invention, having vent plugs integral with the rest of the vent solves one of the major problems involved in the prior art, namely escape of gas and electrolyte through points in the vent either where the plugs are attached to the rest of the vent or elsewhere in the vent where two separate pieces are joined to form a unit. The blow molding method permits construction in one-piece rather than multiple pieces as is common in the conventional injection molded style. No assembly work is needed.